Triple Threat
by HeroMarie
Summary: (This is based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical) The backstage antics of Wednesday Forest, Collin Smith, Parker Sheridan, Desiree Mason and co. are explored as an eccentric cast prepares for the new Broadway cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera". {rated T for some content and language} [Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA]
1. Prologue

Characters:

**The Phantom:** Parker Sheridan

**Christine Daae:** Wednesday Forest

**Raoul de Chagny:** Collin Smith

**Meg Giry:** Desiree Mason

**Madame Giry**: Pricilla Hurt

**Carlotta Giudicelli:** Helena Rivers

**Monsieur Richard Firmin:** Paul Frost

**Monsieur Gilles André:** Peter Frost

**Ubaldo Piangi:** Michal Richards

**Chorus Girl/ Understudy**: Mimi Killian

Prologue:

Wednesday Forest sat on her bed, hair still disheveled from a restless night and bed sheets twisted around her legs, stretching and giving a great yawn. Then she snapped into a realization, her eyes wide and her heart suddenly pounding. She stared at today's date, circled in a glittery red pen on the calendar on her wall. Beside the circle were the words "Phantom of the Opera cast list!" Wildly kicking the sheets off her legs, Wednesday bolted into the kitchen of her small apartment, New York traffic blaring outside. She jumped into her swivel chair by her desk, waving her arms wildly to stop it from sliding across the rough tiled floor. Scooting the chair back to the desk, she opened the thin top of her lap top computer, tapping her fingers anxiously as she waited for the computer to start up. She hastily opened the internet, bouncing in her seat as she waited for the website to load. Soon enough she saw the link to the list. She took a deep breath. "Wednesday…" She whispered to herself. "Even if you don't get the part, it was a great experience. Christine Daae is not any more important than the next role you audition for." She groaned to herself. "Yes it is…" Christine Daae was her lifelong dream role. If she didn't get it she didn't know what she'd do. She had only practiced 2 months for that audition, what if it wasn't long enough? She took another shaky breath and clicked the link. As her name illuminated on the screen, she screamed. "HOLY {this line has been eliminated for the language choice of one Wednesday Forest}" She grinned, jumping up in her seat. She ran to her window, stepping out onto the little balcony. She looked out at all of New York and flung out her arms, grinning wide. "I AM CHRISTINE DAAE!" She cried, giggling and whipping into a triple pirouette.

Collin Smith sat at his table of choice at his favorite coffee shop, the one he liked to call his very own ABC Café, and sipped his coffee, struggling to stay calm as he tapped away at his smart phone, using the free Wi-Fi to pull up the cast list from his last audition. "Please…" He whispered to himself, crossing his fingers. "Come on, load…" he hissed at his 3G, waiting. He ran a hand through his artificial blonde-red hair, bouncing his knee nervously. Finally the list popped up, and he gave a joyous whoop as he read the words on the screen. "Raoul Vicomte de Chagny: Collin Smith" The lady at the cash register gave him an inquiring stare. "I got it!" He cheered. She smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. He shoved open the doors to the coffee shop, stepping outside into the New York air. He felt like bursting into song right then and there. As he reached his apartment complex, he noticed a girl on the balcony of an apartment in the building across the street, and he took a sip of his coffee, looking at her. He could vaguely make out the words she screeched to no one in particular. "I am Christine Daae!" His jaw dropped. He waved his arms at her from across the street as she whirled into a series of turns. "I AM RAUL!" He called back. She was visibly surprised.

"Really?" She asked, hands cupped around her mouth.

"REALLY!" Collin responded, his hands cupping his mouth the same way.

She put up one finger. "One minute!" She told him, rushing back into her apartment. A minute later as promised, she emerged from the building, darting across the street to meet him. "Are you Collin?" She panted, her green-grey eyes on his dark blue ones.

Collin smiled. "Are you Wednesday?"

She grinned at him. "Yes I am!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"The pleasure is all mine, monsieur."

"I'll see you at the cold-read?"

"Tomorrow morning!"

"Tomorrow morning indeed!"

Wednesday smiled at her new friend. "Well, I'll see you then!" She dismissed herself, looking down the street before sprinting across. Once she was safely on the other side, she turned back to see Collin wave to her. She returned the gesture, twirling a curly strand of long auburn hair with her other hand.

Desiree Mason pulled her dirty, once cream-colored pointe ballet shoes off of her feet, hissing in pain as her toes throbbed, and she saw a coppery stain like dried blood on the bottoms of her tights. She pulled those off too, pulling a pair of shorts on over her white leotard and loose dance shirt. She sighed and jammed the car key into its place, then turned it to start the car. The machine sputtered, then was quiet. "Oh, come on…" Desiree groaned, turning the key again. Nothing happened. "DAMN!" she cried, slamming her fist on the seat. She pulled out her phone, pristine with its designer pink case, deciding to give it a moment and then try again with the car. A little alert popped up on the screen. She gasped. "The cast list!" She whispered. She opened the internet; glad her dance studio had free Wi-Fi. As she waited for the list to load, she pulled the pins out of her curly blonde hair, one by one. When ten pins sat in the cup holder of her car, her name appeared on the screen. She yelped, a smile illuminating her pale skin. She cheered out loud, for the world to hear. Then she turned the key one more time. Her pale blue mustang came to life with a satisfying growl.

Parker Sheridan sat in the Library for which he worked, pretending to tend to one of the computers. You know, the 40 bazillion year old computers that take eighty billion years to load the page for the cast list of your first Broadway show, that kind of computer. He tapped his foot anxiously, looking around at all the people in the library, all staring at the tall muscular guy with short blonde hair and glasses, who looked so desperate for whatever was on that screen. Or rather, for what was on the cast list. Finally the outer boarder of the website popped up, and his heart began to race. He gasped, immediately shushed by some snobby parents. Then names appeared. Christine …Erik. He closed his eyes and sighed, then opened them again. His name was the most blessed sight of his life. "WHOO HOO" He cheered aloud. The entire Library stared, but he didn't care. He marched his proud self up to the front desk. "It's been a pleasure working here. But I am on to bigger and better places. Thank you very much." He said, a grin illuminating his face. The friendly lady at the front desk whispered. "You got it?" He nodded proudly. "I did." She gave him thumbs up. He returned the gesture, and marched out into the bright world of the single, unemployed, and on Broadway.

Then he turned back.

Oh god.

He had just quit his job.


	2. Love Never DiesA Spark Re-Ignited

Chapter Two: Love Never Dies/A Spark Re-Ignited

The read through was hectic at best. Wednesday graced the scene, all attention immediately pulled to her, not only because she tripped coming through the door, and almost fell flat on her face. She blushed and found a seat near the piano. Collin and Desiree came in together, laughing and seeming like such great friends. Collin gave Wednesday a sideways glance, and nothing more. Realizing she knew no-one there, the young Christine sank down into her chair, until Parker stumbled through the doorway. Wednesday felt the breath knocked out of her. The same red-headed boy she had performed with in middle school, was back to hear her sing once more. She tried not to be too obnoxious, running her fingers through her long, curly hair. Parker's face glowed with his brilliant smile. Wednesday's heart fluttered.

"Wednesday?!" He called, coming to sit by her.

"Parker! Oh my gosh!" She flung her arms around him, giving Collin a look over her shoulder. What sort of look, exactly, was hard to tell?

The scene continued somewhat like that, ParkerxWednesday and CollinxDesiree both trying to pretend they were better than one another, while the rest of the principle cast filled in.

The read-through progressed, Collin and Desiree creating their own gang of cronies while Parker and Wednesday regained their previous bond.

By the end of the night, the cast has already begun to feel like, well, a cast.

Jokes were shared, numbers exchanged, dinner arrangements made. Collin and Desiree left together the minute rehearsal was out.

"Shippin' it." Parker joked.

Desiree let out a half-hearted excuse for a laugh that Parker didn't quite pick up on.

She had kind of thought Collin would want to be her friend…

"Hey…I know a good karaoke diner place down a bit, if you're up for it." Parker offered.

Wednesday thought for a moment. In all honesty, she really wanted to go. It would be nice to catch up with her dear old friend. But she was bone tired. And she had to get home, she had to…

That's when it hit her. She had forgotten.

She scrambled to collect her bags, and herself, straightening up. "I'd love to Parker, really I would, but I have to go home, I need to…" She paused. How to word this without giving away her biggest secret? "take care of something." She finished.

"Well, do you need a ride home?" Parker really wanted to spend some time with her, his eyes gave an offer she couldn't refuse.

She smiled gently. "Yes, actually.

Parker passed Wednesday a plain black shaded helmet, climbing onto the front of his motorcycle. He placed a similar one on himself, and started the engine, kicking off and swerving through the parking lot. Wednesday's arms squeezed him tight as he made a sharp left turn onto the street. "Not so fast!" She squealed.

It wasn't to long a drive. Much to her surprise, they made it home in one piece.

A strange man stood outside her apartment door.

"Who's that?" Parker asked.

"No one." Wednesday replied simply, chewing the inside of her lip. She was lying, of course.

"Alright…" He didn't question her, just let her go.

Big mistake.

All night he kept thinking about her. What was she hiding? Who was that man? He shouldn't care. He shouldn't worry about her.

But he did.

He always did.


End file.
